


Katniss is naked the first time Peeta sees her

by butrfac14



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: A/U, Akward Peeta, Both Underage, Cute, Gen, Humor, I love stories from his point of view, If that's your thing - Freeform, Not Graphic Nudity/or Descriptions, Nudity, Peeta's POV, Romance, Skinny Dipping, Slightly OOC characters, Swearing, Trying to think of anything else to add lol..., my first time writing anything that way, voyerism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-01-14 12:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18476332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butrfac14/pseuds/butrfac14
Summary: Well, the title pretty much tells the whole story. This is fun and light-hearted so I hope you enjoy! The story was written for the Everlark Fic Exchange 2019 Springtime Edition, based on prompt 105Thank you 567 & jroseley for Beta-ing this story for me and for helping me make this an all-around better story!Thank you Javistg & Xersia for putting on the fic exchange





	1. Chapter 1

“Thanks for the ride, Dad,” I say, shutting the passenger side door of the Jeep. I glance first at my cousin’s house, and then over to my father as he climbs out of the driver’s side door and leans against the hood.

 

“No problem, kid. Do you have everything you need?” He reaches around and pats the back pocket of his pants where I know he keeps his wallet. If I were a devious asshole like one of my brothers, I’d make up something on the spot to get some more cash off of him.

 

But I’m not, so I just nod my head, “I think I packed everything I need, but I’m sure that Aunt Mallory can just run me to the store if I forgot something.” 

 

Dad is such a worrier, but I appreciate the thought. I’m definitely a lot closer to my father than I am my mother, who seems like she just wants me to stay out of her hair for the most part. 

 

I’m spending the first month of summer vacation with my cousin Delly this year. My parents are having a new garage added on to our house and the construction is going to mean tearing out one of my bedroom walls. To my surprise, instead of making me share a room with one of my idiot brothers while the work is going on, the two of them made plans for me to stay here. 

 

I can’t believe my luck, to be honest.

 

Delly flies out of the front door and bounds down the steps. “Peeta!” she squeals, throwing herself at me, and before I know it there’s fluffy blond hair everywhere. 

 

Delly and I are the same age; both of us will be sophomores when the school year starts back up in the fall. Even though we live about an hour away from each other, we’ve always been close. She is like the sister that I wish I’d had.

 

“It’s good to see you too, Dells,” I give my favorite cousin a big hug in return. 

 

Aunt Mallory comes outside to meet us. She is my father’s sister, and is as kind and soft-hearted as he is. Those seem to be traits that Delly and I both inherited, while my brothers are surly jerks like my mom’s entire side of the family. Not that I would mention that fact to any of them. My mom for obvious reasons, and my brothers because they would probably pound me into the ground like a tent stake. 

 

Mellark men don’t hit their growth spurts until late, according to my father, and I believe him. I’m only about 5’5, six inches shorter and also a good thirty pounds lighter than either of my brothers. I just try to keep my head down around them, because they usually double up on me if the mood strikes them. Which is often.

 

Did I mention that I’m looking forward to spending part of the summer with the Cartwrights?

 

Dad walks around to the back of the Jeep and I follow behind him, grabbing my suitcase and slinging my duffle bag over my shoulder before following him up the porch steps. 

 

“Thanks again, Mallory.” Dad hugs my aunt and places a kiss on top of her head. “We thought Peeta might enjoy spending some time with you guys instead of having to bunk with one of his brothers.”

 

“Oh, we’re always glad to have him stay with us. Peeta is a good kid,” she pats my back and I grin sheepishly.

 

“Thanks Aunt Mallory,”  She’s always had a soft spot for me. 

 

Dad lingers behind for a moment to catch up while I follow Delly upstairs to what once was her brother’s room. My other cousin Mark is much older than us, married with a baby on the way, so she’s the only one left at home. I’m slightly jealous.

 

I set my bags on the floor while Delly plops down onto the bed. “I’m so glad that you’re here, Peeta. We’re going to have so much fun!”

 

I shake my head at her. Delly has always had an over-the-top enthusiasm for everything. It can be a bit much sometimes, but I love her anyway. “I’m definitely glad to be here for the next four weeks.” I snap my fingers, and toss my suitcase on the bed. After rooting through it for a minute I find what I’m looking for. “I even got a new pair of swim trunks.” I hold them up for inspection and she gives me a thumbs up of approval.

 

Delly made sure to tell me, on more than one occasion, about the inground swimming pool her dad just had installed in their backyard. 

 

Uncle Dave told everybody that he decided to put the pool in to celebrate his upcoming retirement, but Delly informed me that the real reason her dad had it installed was to make sure that Mark and his wife would bring the baby over all the time. 

 

Delly bounces on the edge of the bed a little bit. “We’re having some of my friends over tomorrow for a cookout. You’ll like them, and everyone always like you, Peeta.” I shrug, because I do have a way with people for some reason, and I’m usually well liked. It probably comes from being the third child in a family full of strong personalities. You have to learn how to schmooze.

 

A thought pops into my head and I have to ask, “Do you have any cute friends coming over tomorrow?”

 

She just laughs and smacks my arm lightly. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  
  


Dad agreed to stay for dinner and visited with my aunt and uncle for a while before he drove back home. Before leaving he gave me a hug and told me to behave myself, and it earned him an eye roll. Like I ever did anything else, or ever had the opportunity to do anything else for that matter. 

 

Delly and I just end up hanging out together on the couch, listening to music and watching fail videos on the internet. The two of us stayed downstairs after her mom and dad went to bed, and finally at around eleven Delly starts to yawn. “I’m sorry Peeta, but I have to go to bed. Softball practice really kicked my butt today.”

 

We both decide to go up, so after she turns off all of the living room lights I follow her upstairs. “Good night, Delly,” I call out.

 

She gives me a little wave and says, “Goodnight, Peeta,” before closing her door behind her. 

 

I walk into the guest room that’s going to be mine for the next month and shut the door behind me. This bedroom is the only one on this side of the house, and it looks directly out over the backyard. I hadn’t gotten a good look at the new pool yet and take a minute to do so now. 

 

The pool sits off to the side of their yard. My eyes rake over the tall, wooden privacy fence that Uncle Dave mentioned was a city ordinance that he had to install with the pool. There is also a security light still on over the garage, and it gives a very clear view of the backyard, while the pool remains slightly darker. It seems funny to have a light there at all, because this bedroom is the only one that you can see down and into the backyard from.  

 

I stare out the window and wonder if Delly does have any cute friends coming over tomorrow. That wouldn’t hurt my heart. I’ll be glad when this supposed growth spurt hits because it would certainly give me a much-needed ego boost. Getting called “shrimp” and “runt” by my much-larger older brothers doesn’t help either.

 

As I’m contemplating my current woes I hear a noise coming from outside.

 

What was that?

 

Peering out the window, I notice what looks like someone scooting across the large tree branch that hangs over into Delly’s backyard. The branch is attached to a tree in the their neighbor's yard, and hangs over the privacy fence that separates the house from the Cartwright’s property. I keep my eye on the tree, waiting to see who appears. Is someone trying to break in? Maybe I should go wake my aunt and uncle up.

 

But I hesitate to move, and I’m glad that I did when I see a girl drop down off the branch into the backyard. From here I can see that she is petite, her body is slim and she has a dark braid slung over one shoulder. I peer more closely at the girl and decide that if I had to take a guess at it I would say that she’s about my age.

 

I should probably go grab my aunt and uncle since there’s a good chance that she’s up to something. I have no idea what that may be, but it doesn’t really matter because I’m frozen in place. 

 

It’s a girl, a beautiful girl at that.

 

So I stand in place while she glances around the backyard. I step closer to the window to get a better look, and I see that she is grabbing the bottom of her shirt.

 

Wait, what is she doing? 

 

Oh... shit. 

 

My brain must be malfunctioning because I’d swear that I just watched this girl pull her t-shirt off. My mouth drops open and I rub my eyes, just like one of those cartoons where the coyote can’t believe what he’s seeing as the roadrunner escapes another over-complicated trap to catch him.

 

This can’t be happening. 

 

There is a real, live girl standing in my cousin’s back yard in a white bra.

 

I reach a hand out to touch the glass but think better of it. What if she sees me?  Instead I stand and watch as she reaches down and unbuttons the snap on her shorts next. She kicks them off and I see cotton panites that match her bra. 

 

Her slim body seems to shimmer under the glow of the security light, and when my eyes wander back up her torso. I know for sure now that I must be dreaming because she reaches behind her back and unsnaps her bra.

 

And then… Wow. 

 

There they are, just staring right up at me. 

 

Breasts. I’m looking at real, live breasts. 

 

Am I dreaming? Am I dead? 

 

If I’m not dead yet, I probably will be soon for standing here and watching her like this. I’m half expecting storm clouds to appear and a lightning bolt to dart out and strike me.

 

Her breasts are small, her nipples seem to be slightly asymmetrical, and I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. I feel my hands start to itch and realize I’ve never wanted to touch someone as badly as I want to touch this girl right now. 

 

She reaches over to her braid and unravels the long strands. 

 

That does it. I’m sure that I’m dead now, because this is what angels must look like: long dark hair and round little breasts, smooth skin and white panties. Heaven. 

 

Although at this moment I feel like I deserve to go to the other place for invading her privacy like this. 

 

Privacy, what privacy? I ask myself. She’s in Delly’s backyard! This thought makes me feel slightly better about what I’m doing. 

 

Only slightly.

 

And I think that the sight of this beautiful girl in nothing but her underwear is the most mesmerizing thing that I’d ever seen, until I watch her shimmy out of said underwear. 

 

Ughh.

 

I’m pretty sure that is the exact moment that my brain explodes. I can’t breathe or move a muscle, and the death of my medulla (thank you, freshman biology) is the only reason I can come up with to explain why my body chooses to stop completing these involuntary functions. 

 

The only thing I’m capable of is staring at the place in between her legs. I feel my vision go fuzzy, and there is definitely drool puddling in my mouth. I lift the side of my hand up to wipe the corner of my lip where it’s leaking out, only able to do so because the action doesn’t require me to look away from the naked girl in my cousin’s backyard.

 

She steps out of her panties, and walks over to the deep end of the pool. She dives in, and I step closer to the window and press my whole damn body against it, subconsciously trying to teleport myself outside and into the water with her.

 

I stare at her in shock for a minute, and then my mind starts to wander to crazy places.

 

I wonder what she would do if I went out there? For a moment I can picture it, strolling outside very calmly and cooly to introduce myself. She’d giggle and ask me to join her for a nighttime swim and shyly look away while I took my clothes off. I’d tell her that she could look, I wouldn’t mind. Her eyes would gaze up at me...

 

_ Yeah right, you chickenshit.  _ I lean my head against the glass and pound it there slightly. I would do it harder if I wasn’t afraid that the noise would scare her off. 

 

I’ve never wished that I were a bolder, less-chickenshit guy in my life. 

 

I’m completely useless.

 

But then I think no, dammit! I’m not going to be that guy anymore. It’s time to grab my life by the horns, because this could be the only time in my life that I come across a girl in the middle of skinny dipping, and I’m not going to let it pass me by. 

 

I cross the room to open the door after taking a look down at myself. There is definitely a situation going on inside my pants, but under the circumstances it’s understandable. But I’m also determined not to let my malfunctioning (that can’t be the right word, because I’m pretty sure that my body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do when presented with a situation like this) body screw this up for me.

 

I don’t know exactly what I’m expecting to find when I get out there. The girl looks about my age, and it’s not like I’m thinking that I’m going to lose my virginity in the swimming pool tonight. 

 

This is real life, not a porno. 

 

I really just want to talk to her. 

 

And maybe look a little more.

 

Not only is she beautiful, but she’s wild. Crazy. What kind of a girl goes skinny dipping in their neighbor’s backyard pool? That’s cool as hell and I really want to meet her.

 

So I manage to calm myself down a little, along with my problem below the waist, and make it through the house without waking up Delly or her parents.

 

I reach the sliding glass door to the backyard and pause for a minute. Am I really going to do this? I watch her dark hair glide across the surface of the water. She is gorgeous as she moves across the surface of the pool like some real-life mermaid.

 

I take a deep breath and turn the lock. At the sound of the glass door sliding across the track, the girl looks up at me. Her eyes are wide as saucers. “Who’re you?” she whispers in a scratchy voice with a distinct mountain drawl. 

 

She’s not from around here? I wasn’t expecting that. Maybe I should have though, Delly’s friends I’ve met on previous visits seemed too civilized to break into their neighbor’s pool in the suburbs to skinny dip. The thought makes me smile.

 

I hold my hands up and come a little closer to the edge, but not too close. I don’t want to freak her out. “I’m not going to bother you, I swear. I’m Peeta- Delly’s cousin. Who are you?”

 

She relaxes a little at the mention of my cousin’s name. Her eyes scan across the backyard before she answers me. “Katniss,” she says, and looks back in my direction. Despite the fact that I know she’s naked as the day she was born under the water, I find myself fixated on her eyes. They are wide and grey, with long dark lashes framing them. Damn, she’s beautiful. “Don’t tell anyone I’m here, please. I know Delly, but...”

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I take a small step closer and ask, “Do you mind if I stay out here with you and talk? It’s such a nice night.”

 

And you’re so beautiful. And so naked in my cousin’s swimming pool. 

 

Katniss looks me up and down and chews on her bottom lip for a minute. “Okay,” she finally says, swimming away from me. “But only if you get in with me. I feel weird about being naked while you’re still dressed.”

 

Um, what? 

 

Praying for my body to behave itself, I try to think. Sweaty gym socks, dead skunks, baseball, baseball... _. _ “Really?” I ask, hoping that my voice doesn’t crack on the end.

 

Katniss shrugs. “Only if you want to. But no funny business, okay? Just swimming.”

 

I find that I’m nodding my head like a crazy person as I answer her, “Okay, yeah. Of course.” 

 

Smooth one, Mellark. 

 

I reach down and pull my t-shirt off. When it gets tossed on the ground I realize that Katniss is still watching me but quickly looks away. Swallowing my nerves (they aren’t necessarily a bad thing right now, they do seem to be helping me keep a better handle on the situation below my waist), I step closer to the edge of the pool before unbuttoning and quickly shoving my shorts down my hips. I step out of them and stumble a bit, barely stopping myself before I go headfirst into the water.

 

“Peeta! You gotta be quiet, you’ll wake up the whole neighborhood if you cannon-ball in!” Katniss whispers loudly, covering up her mouth to try and hide her giggle.

 

Wow, that’s embarrassing. But then I think, oh hell- screw you nerves. I jump in, all the while trying not to think about the fact that a really pretty girl just saw me stumble around naked.

 

As I hit the water I let out a gasp. It isn’t exactly warm out tonight, and the water is cool. It’s oddly exhilarating though, and it’s a strange sensation feeling the water everywhere without a barrier. I’ve never swam naked before, but I think that I like it. Looking over at Katniss I see that she’s grinning at me. 

 

“Feels good, don’t it?” she asks in that slight drawl of hers.

 

This whole situation is so ridiculous I can’t help but laugh, “It feels great, actually.” I shake the excess water out of my hair and she laughs at me. “What?” Now I’m self-conscious, and I wonder what's so funny. 

 

I feel like telling her that I’m still waiting on a much-promised growth spurt so please don’t judge me too harshly.

 

“You look like a dog that just came in outa’ the rain shakin’ yourself off like that. What’re those big, hairy blond ones called?” She teases, and begins moving through the water again. Katniss is choosing to keep her distance, and that’s fine. I’m good with whatever makes her comfortable. 

 

I’m just happy that she’s letting me stay out here with her.

 

“Do you mean a golden retriever?” I ask her. “Believe it or not, you aren’t the first person to compare me to that particular dog.”

 

Katniss pauses in her strokes to look over at me again and cock her eyebrow, “Oh yeah?”

 

I shrug, “I’m friendly and kind of a people pleaser, like a golden retriever. And obviously, the physical resemblance is uncanny. And the drooling doesn’t help anything either.” That last comment gets a laugh from her, and I smile at the sound.

 

Katniss has a very pretty laugh.

 

She has a very pretty everything.

 

“Well, Peeta, what kind of dog would you compare me to then?” She asks, flicking a little water in my direction. 

 

That’s an easy one. I don’t even hesitate to answer, “I wouldn’t compare you to a dog at all. You’re more like a cat, ‘cause the way that you dropped down off that tree branch actually reminded me of a panther.” 

 

Oh  _ shit _ .

 

Why did you just say that, you idiot?! Now she knows that you watched her strip!

 

My face is burning but Katniss just laughs, seemingly unfazed by my words,“I actually hate cats, but I get the comparison.”

 

Crisis averted. I attempt to use the old Mellark charm to segway into a different line of conversation, before I give myself a heart attack. 

 

“So you told me that you just moved in not long ago?” I lean further back against the pool, trying to make myself seem as non threatening as possible.  

 

Katniss swims a little bit closer, and I realize that my choice to hand the control over to her is the correct one. Not that I have any other options really since I barely had the nerve to walk out here and talk to her. The reigns are completely in her hands.

 

Katniss looks up at the sky before she answers me, “Yeah, we moved next door last February. My daddy was a mining foreman in West Virginia, but he got a promotion so we came here.” There is a wistful sound to her voice.

 

“Do you like it?” I ask her as I bob along the side of the pool, keeping my distance, of course. “It seems like a nice neighborhood.”

 

Katniss shrugs, “I like some things about this place. I’m glad that Daddy has a safer job, and that’s the main thing ‘cause mining is dangerous, but I miss home. We lived out in the country on about fifteen acres, and we had a pond close to the house. Me and my little sister used to go swimming at night. I think that must be why I sneak over here sometimes, when I get homesick.”

 

I shrug, thinking that makes pretty good sense. 

 

“Is your sister the only one you go skinny dipping with?” I find myself asking her. I didn’t really think about the implication of the question until it’s hanging out there between us, and I quickly curse myself, “Shit. Sorry Katniss, forget I asked you that, it’s none of my business.”

 

Her eyes twinkle a little, “Are you asking me if I swim naked with boys all the time?”

 

I shake my head back and forth much like the earlier dog-shaking-itself-off impersonation from before, “Nope, because that’s your business, not mine.”

 

With a laugh, Katniss turns around and swims away from me. “You are awful cute, Peeta. Your momma did a good job of raising you. You know how to talk to a lady.”

 

I don’t know if I’d say that exactly… Wait? Did she say that I was cute?

 

I watch her in silence for awhile, the only sound I hear is the  _ whoosh _ of Katniss cutting through the water. She is so beautiful out here in the low glow from the security light. It’s offset, facing away from the pool so the light isn’t shining directly on the water, and it helps to obscure what is under the surface. I can just see the water glimmering off of her back and arms and her hair that looks inky in the darkness.

 

She’s breathtaking, actually. I open my mouth to tell her so but she quickly ducks under the water and swims toward the opposite end of the pool. 

 

The security light must be on an automatic timer because it shuts off and the two of us are suddenly plunged into darkness. Katniss reaches the steps at the deep end of the pool and I hear the  _ sloosh _ of water as she climbs out. “I’d better get going, Peeta. It’s getting awful late.” 

 

I can’t see much now due to the darkness of the backyard, but I can still make out the slight curves of her bottom and her breasts. “Are you gettin’ out?” she asks as she bends over to grab her clothes.

 

I laugh weakly knowing that there is no way in hell I can get out right now without embarrassing myself. Instead I clear my throat and tell her, “No, you go ahead. I’ll be out in a minute.”

 

Katniss throws her t-shirt on over her head before bending over to pull her shorts up. She stuffs her bra and underwear into her pocket and turns to look at me. She seems nervous all of a sudden. “Hey, Peeta?”

 

I love the sound of my name when it comes from her mouth. “Yes, Katniss?”

 

“You won’t tell anyone about this, will ya? I don’t really want anyone to know.” She shifts back and forth on her feet for a minute. “To answer your question from earlier, no, I don’t normally go skinny dipping with boys. You’re the first one, actually.” She pulls her hair around over her shoulder and starts fiddling with it, twisting it back into its original braid.

 

“No, no. I won’t say a word to anybody, I promise. I’m not like that, Katniss,” I swallow the lump in my throat and tell her, “I’ve never done anything like this before, either.”

 

She exhales loudly, “Good. You just seemed, I don’t know, nice. Trustworthy.”

 

Trustworthy? Tell me I’m a nice guy after I watched you strip off all of your clothes. But then I remember the way that she didn’t avert her eyes from me either when I got naked. I feel slightly better, thinking that we’re pretty much even. 

 

But I would definitely say that I got the better end of the deal.

 

“Delly invited me over for the cookout tomorrow, so I’ll see you then?” Katniss asks as she walks over to the opening in the fence to head home. I’m disappointed to see her leave but it doesn’t cut too deep, because there’s tomorrow.

 

And she actually seems like she’s looking forward to seeing me again. Score one for Peeta!

 

“Yeah, of course. I can’t wait.” And it’s true, even in the light of day with all of her clothes on I really can’t wait to see Katniss again. 

 

I think I’m in love.

 

“And maybe we can do this again tomorrow night if you want,” she calls over her shoulder. “I’d like to. Goodnight, Peeta.”

 

“Huh?” I say like an idiot as she disappears from sight.

 

I shake my head. I’m never going to get to sleep tonight, but as I climb out and grab my own shorts to put back on, I realize that I could care less.

  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration struck me this morning based on something that one of my bridesmaids told me at my wedding. This is quickly written and unbeta'd, but here you go anyway. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Chapter 2 is in Katniss's POV
> 
> Still rated T, but don't be don't be dumb and use someone else's medication. Please. This is purely for entertainment purposes and not a good real-life idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this was so rough that I had to make a few corrections. (apparently unbeta'd also means that I didn't take time to read this story all the way through before posting. oh well. I need to learn some patience.)

“Katniss, calm down. You’re supposed to be happy today, not a nervous wreck.” My sister tuts around me, straightening my dress and fiddling with my hair while I’m trying not to hyperventilate.

 

“I just don’t know why I agreed to this…”

 

“Getting married?”

 

“No, I don’t know why I agreed to get married like _this_.” I gesture down at the poofy white dress that hangs off my body. It’s beautiful, and everyone has said that it looks great on me, but deep down I’m just not a big-dress, big- wedding kind of girl. I would have much rather preferred to get married in my backyard with just our family there.

 

The fact that it's not just a handful of family and friends is exactly what is freaking me out at the moment. There are over three hundred guests packed into the church, and unfortunately I just became reacquainted with the terrible stage fright that haunted me through school.

 

Of course Peeta isn’t aware of my problem- he never would have suggested this large-scale event.

 

Did I mention the fact that I also have a tendency to forget how much I dislike certain things until they are right in my face again?

  

When Peeta brought up the idea of this big wedding I agreed to it without thinking it through because I love him so much, and he was just so excited about planning everything. He has a huge family and lots of friends that he didn’t want to leave out of our big day.

 

But regardless of why we’re here, ready to commit our lives to each other in front of hundreds (try not to think about the number too much Katniss) of people, I’m a nervous wreck. The only thing that is keeping me from bolting is the fact that it’s Peeta waiting for me at the altar.

 

Johanna snaps her fingers. “I’ve got just the thing!” She grabs her bag off the floor and rummages through it, before crowing triumphantly when she comes up with a prescription bottle. “I have some of these muscle relaxers left over from my accident.”

 

“Katniss, I don’t know if that’s a good idea…” Prim starts, looking back and forth between Johanna and I.

 

I’ve never taken someone else’s medication before. I know that it’s not a great idea, but I’m desperate. My chest is so tight that I can hardly breathe, and it feels a massive anxiety attack is coming on.

 

Johanna shakes the vial in my face. “Look, if it makes you feel better read the bottle. They aren’t addictive, if it contained opioids it would say so on the label. They just make you feel like you’ve had a glass or two of wine, honestly.”

 

I take the bottle from her hand, and after a quick perusal of the warnings which don’t seem too dire, I take one of the pills out and swallow it.

 

Prim hands me a bottle of water to wash the round pill down my throat. “Well, just make sure that you don’t handle any heavy machinery today,” she teases me.

 

Johanna opens her mouth, and before she can say a word I cut her off. “Don’t even start, Jo. We’re in a church so no sex jokes!”

 

By the time my dad comes back to get us 20 minutes later I’m feeling much more relaxed. He looks so handsome in his tuxedo, his black hair streaked with threads of silver and tears shining in the corner of his grey eyes.

 

“You’re so beautiful today, Katniss.” Dad pulls back from an impromptu hug to wipe tears from the corner of his eye. “I hate to lose you, but Peeta is a good man. If anyone deserves you it’s him.”

 

My chest aches with a different kind of pressure. “Thanks Dad.” I whisper.

 

“Are you ready to do this?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Then let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey you.” Peeta grabs my face and kisses me again.“You look gorgeous, did I mention that yet?”

 

“Once or twice I think.”

 

We’re in the backseat of the limousine on our way to the reception. The wedding went off without a hitch, the pictures are done and we’re finally alone for the first time today.

 

“Well you’ll probably get tired of hearing it before the days is over, but it’s true.”

 

“You look great too,” I say, wishing that I could come up with a better way to tell him. And it’s true, he’s handsome today. But then again he always is.

 

His looks have changed so much since I first met him. It’s been ten years, but I remember that night like it was yesterday.

 

Delly had actually just stopped by that morning to invite me over for a cookout at her house the following day. She mentioned that her cousin was coming to stay with her for the next month, and they were having some people over to meet him. “Peeta is so cute, Katniss. You’ll really like him. He’s mature for his age and just really, really nice. I can’t wait for you to meet him!” She squealed and bounced up and down in that Delly-way that I’d come to associate with her. “Can you come over tomorrow night?”

 

“Maybe,” I told her, but had no plans to show up. Delly seemed to like everyone and I'd never heard her say a bad thing about anybody. Her cousin couldn’t be that nice, guys our age were idiots.

 

Not only that, but his arrival tomorrow would put an end to my trips next door to skinny dip. I’d been sneaking out of the house to swim in the Cartwright’s new pool for a few weeks. I still missed the pond back home and the solitude of our country house. The suburbs weren’t a great fit for me, and I was having a hard time adjusting. But I kept quiet about it, happy that my dad was finally away from his dangerous job.

 

I went next door after dark expecting it to be my last trip for awhile. Imagine my surprise that night when Peeta walked out the back door to talk to me.

 

I could’ve sworn that Delly said he wouldn’t be here until tomorrow.

 

He was cute. Very cute. He had a head full of blond curls, big blue eyes, and he was only a few inches taller than me. He was a little awkward-looking, like his shoulders were too big for the rest of his body. There was something very non-threatening about Peeta. Maybe it was the fact that he was obviously very nervous, and I could tell that he was trying not to let his eyes wander past my face

 

I don’t know what made me ask Peeta if he wanted to get in the water with me. I’ve always been kind of impulsive. And he just seemed so, I don’t know, _nice_.

 

"No funny business though, okay? Just swimming."

 

“Okay, yeah. Of course.”

 

His shirt came off first, and when he pushed his shorts down I couldn’t help but take a little peak at him. I’d never seen a naked guy before, and he wasn’t really facing my direction so…

 

 _Men’s bodies are weird._ I looked away before Peeta caught me watching him, and after a near stumble he got in the pool with me. We talked and swam, and I grew more and more comfortable with him. He was funny, and nice. And he didn’t make me feel like we were doing anything wrong. (Peeta did inadvertently let it slip that he’d seen me take my clothes off, but I guess that I was already aware of that.)

 

After a while I started worrying about someone coming out and finding us, so when the Cartwright’s security light went out and the backyard was dark I figured that it was as good of a time as any to go. 

 

The next night I actually took a little more time than usual getting ready. He was really cute. But when I got to the Cartwrights house I'd begun to worry about the night before, I really hoped that he hadn't said anything. I breathed a sigh of relief when Delly introduced me to Peeta. He smiled shyly and we both pretended that our naked adventure last night had never happened.

 

Come to think of it, I don’t think we ever did tell anyone else about that.

 

It was a great month. Peeta and I went swimming a lot (with our suits on), and on his last night he gave me my first kiss. It was a dry, slightly awkward brush of lips. Nice, because it was Peeta.

 

After that, I didn’t see him again until the following summer. Delly came next door one June morning to ask if I wanted to come over for another cookout. Peeta would be there, he had his driver’s license and a car. "He's been asking me about you for weeks, Katniss." 

 

I shrugged, not sure if I wanted to or not. Last summer was fun, but was just a little fling, right? Could I really have made that much of an impression on him that he still wanted to see me a year later? I didn’t really see how- I wasn’t anything special. Delly was such an exaggerator, but still. It was Peeta, and I guessed that he was worth giving it a try.

 

So the next night, I walked into the Cartwright’s back yard and stopped.

 

Holy cow, that couldn’t be Peeta, could it?

 

It looked like him, but the guy in front of me was about 6 inches taller. My eyes scanned him, and I realized that Peeta had definitely grown into those shoulders over the last year.

 

I swear that I could feel my heartbeat in my neck, I was so keyed up. I couldn’t do this. That gorgeous guy couldn’t really be interested in me, could he?

 

I started to walk away until I heard him call out (his voice was a lot deeper too), “Katniss!”

 

I turned around slowly, and he was walking towards me with a huge smile on his face. “Hey Peeta,” I looked down at the ground and scuffed my sandall in the rocks a little, and it caught me off guard when he threw his arms around me.

 

“I’m so glad to see you,” 

 

I could feel my cheeks heating up, as I smiled back at him, unable to get any words to leave my mouth.

 

“I don’t know if you’re seeing anybody, but I’d really like to take you out on a date. Did Delly tell you that I just got my license? I would have asked you out sooner but I knew that my parents wouldn’t drive me back and forth to see you.”

 

Peeta and I made plans for that weekend, and the rest is history. We dated the rest of the way through high school, and went to State College together. A year after graduation we got engaged, and here we are today.

 

Married.

 

“Let’s celebrate!” Peeta says, turning to grab the bottle of champagne that someone left in the back of the limo for us.

 

“Yes, please.” I take the glass from him and swallow a long drink, ready to relax now that the hard part of the day is over.

 

By the time we get to the reception, my head is spinning a little. I must be getting hungry, because that champagne went straight to my head.

 

Peeta has to hold on to my arm to help me stand up and I sway a little as we’re walking in.

 

“Are you alright, drunkie?” He whispers in my ear and I giggle in response.

 

“I just need some food, I think.”

 

The DJ announces our entrance, and we walk in to the sound of thunderous applause. The party is already in full swing, people are milling around with appetizers and the kids are out on the dance floor. Peeta helps me to my seat at the head table, and I plop down into it with a laugh. Why am I laughing so much? Why is my face numb?

 

When the time comes, we go through the line to get our food. We eat, and I try to carry on a conversation with the people that stop by our table to see us, but I’m having trouble concentrating.

 

Eventually, Peeta’s best man- his middle brother Rye, fills up our champagne flutes. “It’s time for the toasts,” he says. Once all of our glasses are full and everyone has been served, he takes the microphone from the DJ and taps on it lightly.

 

“Attention everyone! It’s time for the speeches. You’ll be hearing from our beautiful maid of honor, Primrose Everdeen,” He pauses and my sister beams at everyone, standing up with her champagne flute and walking in his direction, “and myself. But first of all, Delly Cartwright would like to share the story about how the happy couple met.”

 

There’s more applause, and Delly walks up and takes the microphone out of Rye’s hand. “Thank you, everyone. I’m so happy to be here! I just had to get up and say a few words about how I’m the world’s best matchmaker! Things all began for my favorite cousin and Katniss the night of the cookout that we held to welcome him to our home.”

 

“No it didn’t!”

 

Who said that? Wait- that was me!

 

Peeta starts laughing. Has he figured out where I’m going with this?

 

“That isn’t when we first met! I met him the night before, and I was naked!” For some reason, it seems terribly important to set the record straight after all these years. At our wedding reception. In front of 300 people.

 

I look over at my sister, and she is mouthing the words, _What the fuck?_

 

Peeta is actually crying at this point, he is laughing so hard.

 

Rye’s eyes are as round as saucers.

 

I hear the words “muscle relaxers” come from Johanna at the foot of the table, and suddenly remember the label that said:

 

_Do not operate heavy machinery. Do not consume alcoholic beverages while using this medication._

 

Oh well.

 

Maybe I’ll explain more later, but for now I think that I'd like another drink.

 

I glance over at Peeta, and decide that maybe I won't.

 

I do have some heavy machinery to operate later.

 


End file.
